


Make Me

by J (j_writes)



Category: Easy Allies RPF
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-08-29 05:43:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8477530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_writes/pseuds/J
Summary: "I’m not gonna make you, Ian. I’m asking.  I’m asking politely, because that’s what people do, instead of interrupting in the middle of – “ he cut himself off.  "You know what?”  He looked up at the camera.  "Let’s take five."





	

**Author's Note:**

> [fictional characters based on the internet personas of actual people, doing entirely fictional things.]

“ _Ian_ ,” Ben snapped, his voice sharper than he meant for it to be, but the day had been so long, and the glow of sunset was already slanting through the garage doors, and he couldn’t stop the words from slipping from his lips. "For fuck’s sake, let Kyle finish.“

Ian arched an eyebrow at him from across the table, smirking as they said, "How about you make me?”

“I’m not…” Ben groaned and rubbed the spot between his eyes. "I’m not gonna _make_ you, Ian. I’m _asking_. I’m asking politely, because that’s what people do, instead of interrupting in the middle of – “ he cut himself off. "You know what?” He looked up at the camera. "Let’s take five. We’ll cut this.“ He pushed back his chair from the table, resolutely ignoring Sophie hopping to her feet and winding her way between his legs as he crossed to the camera to shut it off.

"No, look, Ben,” Ian objected. "I’m sorry, okay?“ They held their hands out in a gesture of reconciliation, but Ben shut the camera off anyway.

"Ben, come on, let’s just finish this,” Huber urged. "We’re so close to done.“

"Five minutes, okay?” Ben said to him, ignoring Ian. "Then we’ll wrap this up, I promise.“ He shrugged apologetically in Kyle and Brad’s direction, and left the garage, not quite slamming the door behind him, letting Sophie trot along at his feet. He paced in a circle for a few moments in the driveway before looking up to see a curtain twitch in one of the windows of the house. He sighed, really not wanting to have to explain himself to Brandon or Amanda right now, so he picked up a ragged tennis ball instead and crossed to the lawn, tossing it halfheartedly across the grass for Sophie to chase.

He didn’t look up when he heard the garage door open, or when he saw Ian’s shadow hovering around behind him, or when Ian settled into the grass by his side. They were quiet for a long while, until Sophie started rolling around in front of them, demanding pets, and Ian let out a quiet laugh, some of the tension shattering as they reached out to scritch her belly.

"I _am_ sorry,” they said.

“Thanks,” Ben replied begrudgingly.

“I mean,” Ian continued, and Ben wished they wouldn’t, would just let this moment pass, the two of them and the dog and the sunset, but they kept going. "It’s not a disrespect thing or anything. It’s not like – I don’t know, I think I’d do a better job at what you’re doing or something. I think you think that sometimes, and it’s _not_. I just get…kind of caught up in it, you know?“

"I know,” Ben said, and when he finally looked up to see Ian watching him, hard and scrutinizing, he repeated, “I _know_. And I – ” he stopped, the lift of the corner of Ian’s mouth still fresh in his memory, the teasing way their eyes caught Ben’s as they suggested he make them be quiet. "I’m not mad, okay? I just needed a break. It’s been a long day.“

"Yeah.” Ian flopped onto their back, shirt riding up, and Ben didn’t let his eyes catch there against the strip of skin for longer than a second before he was looking away, anywhere but at Ian. "It really has. Look, we’ll go finish this up, we’ll all get some food, we’ll feel better, right?“

"Right,” Ben agreed.

“I promise,” Ian said. “I’ll behave.”

Ben let out a strangled sigh. "You don’t have to – look, no, I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have snapped. It’s just – “

"I talk too much,” Ian finished. "And you don’t want to hear it.“

"I _do_ want to hear it!” Ben said, too loud, and he didn’t look at Ian but could see out of the corner of his eye that they rolled onto their side to look at him closer. He sighed, dropping his head, running his fingers through his hair. "I want to hear _all_ of it, Ian, and that’s why I have to make you stop sometime, I can’t just…let you keep going indefinitely because I want to hear what you have to say. It’s not fair to the others for me to give you all this time because – “ he broke off. "It’s just…I’m trying to be fair.”

Ian sat up again, scooting closer, and Ben had hoped that that would be enough, that Ian wouldn’t pry, but Ian wouldn’t be Ian if they weren’t prying.

“Because…?” Ian repeated, that same teasing lift to their voice, and Ben could hear the smile without looking.

“Ian. Don't…”

“Because what, Ben?” He felt a nudge against his side, Ian’s knee, their leg staying there and resting against his side, and he was suddenly too hot, even though the sun was going down, running out of air, even though there was a slight breeze blowing, and he couldn’t think of anything to say, even though that was what he’d been doing all day, responding, reacting, he had nothing now, nothing but to look at Ian, to really look at them, eyes bright in the fading sunlight, hair curling down over their face, so hopelessly beautiful, so focused on him. "You don’t want to give me extra time because…?“

"Because you’re obnoxious?” Ben offered, unconvincing as either a joke or the truth, and Ian nudged him again.

“Don’t lie to me, Ben.”

“People lie all the time.”

“Not you. Not often, at least. There’s only a handful of reasons for someone to be so careful not to look like they’re showing preferential treatment to someone else. And, let’s see.” Ian ticked them off on their fingers. "We’re not related. I’m not paying you. So that leaves…" Ian let the words trail off, but their arm slipped around Ben’s waist, tugging him closer. “You think I’m _pretty_.”

Ben let out a quiet laugh. "You _are_ pretty.“ The words came too easily, almost automatic, before he could keep himself from saying them, but instead of any of the reactions he didn’t have time to dread, Ian lit up beside him.

"Thanks,” they said, ducking their head in something that might have been embarrassment, and okay, this wasn’t how Ben meant to do this, but if they were doing it, he was damn well going to do it right, so he turned, facing Ian, reaching out to brush his fingers over the curve of their jaw.

“Hey,” he said, “you’re _so_ pretty. But no, that’s not why I want to give you all the time in the world, it’s because…” he sighed, letting all the words he’d kept in for too long just tumble out, “because I want to hear all the things you have to say. I want to watch movies with you and hear what you think about them. I want to just be quiet with you too, take walks, go to a concert, not really say anything, but just…be there with you. Okay? That’s why I’m so caught up in trying to be fair to the others, because this is a damn good Saturday, but I’m kind of endlessly disappointed that my other Saturdays don’t involve just hanging out with you, actually letting you finish whatever rambling thoughts come through your head.” He went to pull his hand back from Ian’s face, but Ian’s fingers came up to tangle into his, keeping it there. "So that’s why,“ he finished hoarsely. "I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“And I’m sorry I goaded you.” Ian’s lips curved into a grin. "For, like, years.“ They leaned in, and the kiss was slow but heated, too much tension built up between them, both of them greedy and searching and –

"Okay,” Kyle’s voice called from the garage, and they broke apart, Ian breathing out a laugh. "I know the dog’s cute and everything, but it has been way more than five minutes.“

"Dog’s not the only one,” Ian said quietly, leaning against Ben.

Ben laughed. "Yeah, we’re coming,“ he called. He leaned in to give Ian another quick kiss. "C'mon,” he said. "Let’s finish this up, and then I’ll take you to dinner.“

"This date sponsored by Fatburger?” Ian asked, pushing up to their feet and crossing to coax Sophie back to the garage with them.

Ben laughed, trying to ignore the way his cheeks heated up at the mention of date. “I mean, that wasn’t what I had in mind…” he began, but Ian and Sophie were already running off toward the garage, Ian calling, “Ben’s gonna take me on a date to Fatburger for yelling at me!”

“That's…not…” Ben began, but when he caught the brilliant smile Ian shot him before ducking into the garage, real and sweet and genuine, he stopped objecting. "Yeah,“ he agreed dryly as he followed Ian in. "That’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

“Why doesn’t Ben yell at me?” Brad muttered to Huber. "I want Fatburger.“

"I’ll take you to Fatburger,” Huber assured him, and Brad beamed.

“Can we – ” Kyle asked, waving impatiently at the table, and Ben slid back into his seat.

“Yeah,” he agreed. "We can.“

Ian turned the camera back on, and the episode resumed, and there was some speculation in the comments about the section that was clearly cut from the middle, the way that Ben never once looked down the table at Ian during the end of the episode, some worry about whether or not there was some sort of animosity brewing between the Allies. The next week’s group stream seemed to set things at ease, though, because it started off with Ian stretched out over Ben’s lap on the couch, Ben’s arm curled comfortably around their waist.

And when Ian, exasperated, yelled, "Oh my god, Ben, you suck at this, just give me your controller,” no one quite understood why Ben’s reaction of, “How about you make me?” made Ian choke on their iced tea and turn a spluttering shade of red, but it was entertaining to watch anyway.


End file.
